COMM 260 - Documentary Film Studies

Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-C2
History of documentary film to the present day. Students will screen some of the most prolific documentary films ever made and will discuss their impact on society as art, politics, social impact and social justice.

Equivalent Quarter Course: COMM 2600.
Possible Instructional Methods: Entirely On-ground.
Grading: A-F grading only.
Breadth Area(s) Satisfied: GE-C2 - Lower Division Humanities
Course Typically Offered: Variable Intermittently

Student Learning Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Understand the cultural significance of documentary film and trace the history of documentary film to the production of modern day films;
Discuss documentary film as art, political statement, and social impact;
Identify the various genres of documentary film and their qualities;
Critically assess the production values of documentary film and whether those values were effective in storytelling;
Understand the storytelling and production process in documentary film.

C2. Humanities Learning Outcomes

Show appreciation for the humanities using their intellect, imagination, sensibility, and sensitivity;
develop their affective and cognitive faculties through studying great works reflecting the rich diversity of human imagination and/or inquiry; and
engage in critical self-reflection relating themes in the humanities to the students’ own lives.